It can be tough to change your banking routine when you're living pay cheque to pay cheque. Here are some tips that can help.

Nearly half of Canadians live pay cheque to pay cheque. A recent survey by the Canadian Payroll Association reported that 47 per cent of us would face financial hardship if our pay was delayed as little as a week.

One of the easiest ways to save money is to take a close look at your banking fees. But when you’re living on the edge, it can be tough to change your banking routine. So switching to an online bank or credit union will help save on fees but it can cause you stress in other ways.

Some banks limit the amount of money you can withdraw or transfer, especially when you don’t have an established history. Having your deposit held, even for a few days, could mean the difference between making rent and getting evicted.

Still, when you’re ready to turn your finances around you should start by fixing your banking. Here are some ways to do that:

Ask for a break.
Go to your branch and explain that you're looking for help. You might find that you will save a few bucks a month, or they'll waive your fees for a period of time. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Stop using debit
. Debit cards are a convenient way to pay, but we pay a premium to use them. You’ll pay $11 to $15 a month for unlimited debit use with one of the big banks.

Use cash
. Figure out what you spend each month on groceries, gas and other discretionary items and take out the cash. Whether you use the jar method or the envelope system, try and make it work on just one or two ATM withdrawals a month.

Switch to a basic banking
. If you can stick to cash, you won't need to use a debit card as often, so consider switching to a basic banking plan. hese plans offer 10 to 15 transactions for about $4 a month. Fees are waived when you carry a minimum balance of $1,000 ($1,500 for TD customers), which is reasonable compared to $3,000 or more with an unlimited account.

Make it automatic
. Set up all your recurring monthly bills to come out of your account automatically, or make the payments using online banking. Just make sure to stay within your free monthly transactions or you’ll pay up to $1 for each additional one.

Open a no-fee account
. No matter how hard you try, you may find that 10 transactions won’t be enough to get you through the month. That’s where a no-fee account can help. Open one online or with a local credit union and use it for making small debit card purchases when you don’t have any cash on hand.

Use one of the 10 free transactions at your main account to transfer a slush fund - $50 to $100 - to your free account so you’re covered for any small discretionary purchases.

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